"We choose Lin Nian." The voice of a middle‐aged man echoed through the silent, unfinished building.
Before him stood his two daughters—Lin Nian and Lin Ting—who at that moment were being held hostage by two young men armed with guns. One of the kidnappers, a slightly shorter, buck‐toothed man, said in a sinister tone, "Lin Guoqing, since you've chosen this daughter who shares no blood with you, the other must atone for all you've done!" With that, he shoved Lin Nian—her mouth gagged with a cloth—toward Lin Guoqing.
When Lin Ting heard the choice made by her biological father, she felt no pain at all—whether from numbness or from having long foreseen this outcome, she couldn't tell. As they pushed Lin Nian forward, Lin Ting seized the opportunity to break free from the kidnapper's grip and dashed toward the window.
"Lin Ting!" Both Lin Guoqing and her older brother Lin Zhou cried out in unison. But by the time they reached the window, it was too late. Lin Ting had already leapt from the tall building—a life vanishing before their eyes.
Reflecting on the regrets of her life, Lin Ting mused that perhaps she had so many that even the gods might deem her greedy. She had once enjoyed a happy, perfect family—only to have a nanny swap her with the nanny's own daughter. In that cruel exchange, the cherished pearl that was her life was reduced to mere dust in the countryside. After barely enduring sixteen long years, she had believed that bitterness would eventually give way to sweetness—but little did she know, this was only the beginning of her tragedy.
The counterfeit daughter, who had been substituted in by the nanny, was showered with the love of her biological parents—even her own older brother rejected her return. Fearing that their beloved "princess" Lin Nian might feel aggrieved, they warned Lin Ting at the very moment the two met not to delude herself into thinking she could ever replace Lin Nian's position in the family. But that position had always been rightfully Lin Ting's—how had it become nothing but a delusion?
At first, Lin Ting had poured every effort into pleasing her family—even Lin Nian. Yet the harder she tried, the deeper their disdain grew. At school, she not only received scornful glances but was also publicly humiliated by her own brother. From then on, Lin Ting gave up on seeking her family's love; she grew even more taciturn, deliberately minimizing her presence.
But fate was not yet done with her. On her eighteenth birthday, both she and Lin Nian were kidnapped. The kidnappers were enemies of her biological father, Lin Guoqing—business rivals ruined by the Lin family who had reached the end of their rope. Intent on taking revenge by killing Lin Guoqing's children, they confronted him. Desperate to save his daughter, Lin Guoqing agreed to any demand the kidnappers made—as long as his daughter was spared. Driven nearly to madness, the kidnapper wanted Lin Guoqing to make a choice, a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life; he forced Lin Guoqing to choose between sparing the life of his biological daughter or that of his adopted daughter. Faced with a life-and-death decision, Lin Guoqing cowered in fear. Yet with his son continually urging him on—warning that any further hesitation would doom them both—he finally, with grim resolve, chose Lin Nian.
In that crushing moment, Lin Ting's heart shattered as if slashed by a thousand knives. Summoning an inexplicable strength, she broke free from her captor and leaped without hesitation.
"Finally, I'm free."
[The Reversal System is binding…]
A sharp pain throbbed at Lin Ting's head. When she next opened her eyes, she found herself seated inside a luxury car. The view outside and her current surroundings stirred a sense of eerie familiarity. The driver, glancing at her through the rearview mirror, respectfully said, "Second Miss, we're almost home." Lin Ting's heart leaped with joy—wasn't this the day she was taken back to the Lin family?
"It seems heaven has given me a second chance. In this life, I'm determined to change my fate," she vowed silently.
Now, Lin Ting's foremost concern was how to handle what was about to unfold. She recalled that in her previous life, as soon as she stepped into the house, the counterfeit daughter Lin Nian had greeted her with warmth. Back then, freshly returned from the countryside and overwhelmed by the sight of the Lin family's luxurious villa—as well as the anxiety of reuniting with her relatives—she hadn't even managed to respond to Lin Nian. Seeing her lack of reaction, Lin Nian had immediately adopted an expression of aggrieved stubbornness, and their parents' faces showed nothing but disapproval toward Lin Ting.
At that time, Lin Ting had worn an ill-fitting dress and shoes riddled with holes—although these were the best clothes she possessed. Her hair, rendered dry and yellow from years of malnutrition, and her tawny skin—so different from the pampered Lin Nian's—combined with her petite, fragile frame, made her appear timid and withdrawn. Her brother Lin Zhou couldn't abide the sight of his biological sister in such a state and hurried forward to shield Lin Nian. In front of all the Lin family servants, he mocked Lin Ting from head to toe for her lack of manners—criticizing her for showing no proper respect upon returning home and jeering that she only played the pitiable victim to garner sympathy. Hearing his harsh words, Lin Ting felt a heavy weight in her chest; even her breathing grew labored. Just as she was about to explain herself, Lin Guoqing ordered him to return with the servants to his room to rest and collect himself. And so, they never spared Lin Ting another glance—instead, everyone clustered around Lin Nian, softly comforting her. As she ascended the stairs, she could faintly catch snatches of words: "Don't worry," "bumpkin," "we love you."
Now reborn, Lin Ting had resolved to distance herself from these people—even though for the time being she still had to live under the Lin roof. She would not allow them to keep demeaning her, nor would she let even the family servants kick her around.
As she pondered her next move, the car pulled up to the driveway of the Lin family villa. "Second Miss, we've arrived," said the butler, Mr. Chen, as he respectfully opened the door and motioned for her to follow. Mr. Chen had served the Lin family for decades and was held in high regard by both Lin Guoqing and his wife. In her previous life, despite the Lin parents' disdain, Mr. Chen had diligently and conscientiously performed his duties.
Before long, Lin Ting and Mr. Chen reached the living room, where her biological parents, her older brother, and Lin Nian—the girl who had stolen her rightful identity—were gathered.
"Tingting, I am your mother," said an elegantly dressed middle-aged woman, her eyes red and swollen as though she'd cried all night. This was Lin Ting's biological mother, Huang Mei, who hailed from the prestigious Huang family of City A and later married into the Lin family—a match of equals. Her husband was none other than Lin Guoqing. Though gentle and timid by nature, Huang Mei allowed Lin Guoqing to take charge of all matters in the household. Despite his somewhat domineering attitude, Lin Guoqing treated his wife with respectful courtesy. Their harmonious relationship over more than a decade had even blessed them with Lin Ting—a model couple among City A's elite.
The moment Huang Mei saw Lin Ting, she couldn't help but turn away to secretly shed tears, while Lin Nian stood by her side silently offering comfort. "Alright, today is the day our daughter returns home; it's unbecoming to bawl like that," Lin Guoqing interjected as he noticed Huang Mei beginning to cry again. Hearing this, Huang Mei quickly composed herself, stepped forward, and took Lin Ting's hand. "Tingting, this is your father and your brother Lin Zhou," she introduced them one by one.
Just as she was about to introduce Lin Nian, Lin Nian suddenly embraced Lin Ting warmly. "Sister, welcome home," she said, her tone free of any resentment—just the pure affection of a loving younger sister. Instantly, Lin Ting returned the embrace. "You must be my sister Lin Nian, right? My uncle had mentioned you before you came." At those words, Lin Nian's face turned deathly pale.
The uncle Lin Ting referred to was none other than Lin Nian's biological mother's brother. Years ago, to cover up her own misdeeds, the nanny had resigned from the Lin household and taken the nearly newborn Lin Ting back to her rural family. Back then, the nanny's husband had been sentenced to death for a crime committed while she was pregnant with Lin Nian, and her in-laws had turned a blind eye to her condition. The kind-hearted Lin family had allowed the nanny to continue working for them—even paying for her prenatal care and childbirth. Yet, ungrateful as she was, the nanny had secretly swapped her own daughter with the Lin family's eldest daughter. Back in the countryside, both the nanny and Lin Ting suffered the disdain and ridicule of the villagers, not to mention the constant harassment from their aunt—and little Lin Ting had been forced to do housework even before she was tall enough to reach the table. A few years later, the nanny passed away due to lack of funds for treatment; before dying, she had tightly clutched Lin Ting's hand, swallowing her words time and again as if she wanted to reveal a truth. Perhaps, in those final moments, she meant to tell Lin Ting the truth—but though she loved Lin Ting, she loved her own biological daughter even more.
"Lin Ting, what do you mean? Are you trying to drive Nian Nian away?" Suddenly, her older brother Lin Zhou, who had remained silent until now, advanced in a burst of anger to protect Lin Nian. Lin Ting already knew that her still-underage brother was prone to impulsiveness—and in her past life, Lin Nian had often exploited this trait against her. Hastily, Lin Ting feigned timidity, lowering her head to avoid Lin Zhou's gaze, and said, "No, I just thought that you, my sister, might also want to get to know our relatives." When she lifted her head again, tears shimmered in her eyes as she choked out, "I'm sorry, sister; if you don't want to hear it, I'll never mention our uncle again…" Then, as if recalling one more detail, in a voice barely above a whisper she added, "And mother."
Although Lin Nian's face betrayed a pale strain, she had to maintain an air of magnanimity—she couldn't let their parents think she was cold-hearted and indifferent toward her biological mother. "You've misunderstood, sister; I just haven't gotten used to it yet," she managed, swallowing her words even though she had long harbored resentment toward Lin Ting.
Deliberately, Lin Ting brought up in front of their parents the fact that her nanny—and her uncle back in the countryside—were still part of her life, a subtle reminder to everyone that Lin Nian was not truly of the Lin bloodline, that she still had relatives in the country. "What if father sends me to that uncle's place? It's all Lin Ting's fault," Lin Nian thought bitterly, though her face showed no trace of malice—only genuine joy at her sister's return.
"Lin Zhou, how can you speak to your sister like that?" Lin Guoqing interjected sharply as he watched his son with a cold gaze. Lin Zhou opened his mouth to retort, only to be silenced by a single, stern look from his father. Finally, with his son subdued, Lin Guoqing turned to the daughter he had only just recognized and said, "You must be tired today, so go with the servants and rest in your room." Lin Ting immediately nodded in response.
Just as she was about to climb the steps, she heard a conversation between Lin Nian and her mother in the living room. "Mom, please come shopping with me later—I'm begging you," Lin Nian cooed sweetly to Huang Mei. Huang Mei had planned to chat with her newly recognized daughter once her husband and son had left, but when Lin Nian interrupted, she had to abandon the idea, fearing that Lin Nian might feel slighted by Lin Ting's presence. Hearing Huang Mei instantly agree to Lin Nian's request, Lin Ting couldn't help but wear a mocking expression.
"It appears that my own little sister isn't as composed as she pretends to be when faced with the threat posed by her elder sister."